


Accomplished

by Lullabylily



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bedwarmer, Canon Era, Complicated Relationships, Dubious Consent, First Time, Loss of Virginity, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 11:05:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9320744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lullabylily/pseuds/Lullabylily
Summary: A new arrival in Camelot, Merlin finds out Gaius has procured him a position as Prince Arthur's 'body servant' aka bedwarmer. Merlin is unsure how he will cope with his new duties and keep his magic hidden at the same time...Written for Kink Me! Prompt: Merlin is Arthur's sex slave; he's not angry or resentful about it because it is common tradition to farm boys without muscles to become sex slaves at a certain age.People can only hope to end up with good masters and Merlin knows he's been more than lucky: it's true, Arthur doesn't talk to him or even personally summon him when it's time for sex, but he has always treated him well in bed and he's also young and handsome which is a bonus for sure.Merlin knows that during wars things can get a little rough and that he's always to show that he can take it but one night after a tough battle Arthur calls for him and Merlin really doesn't feel okay (fever). When he arrives in Arthur's tent he faints...





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally started on Kink Me! Merlin: http://kinkme-merlin.livejournal.com/31491.html?thread=31806979& .  
> I am posting it here in hopes of continuing and finishing it.

Merlin knew it was for the best. He kept repeating to himself that his new duties, whatever they turned out to be, would at least let him be useful. He couldn't be as productive on the farm and he didn't want to be accused of being a drain on resources. Winters were harsh enough as they were and everyone old enough to work was expected to help. 

_"It was Gaius' idea. He said you could thrive in a position at court. I just want what's best for you,"_ his mum had said. 

Merlin agreed he wanted to contribute one way or another. He knew he couldn't use his real talents. He'd tried, multiplying grain reserves and making it rain one unusually dry spring. In both instances the magic had happened more or less accidentally and it had made his mother nervous. Merlin didn't want her to worry like that.

_"Until the ban on magic is lifted, you have to learn to live without it."_

Bitterly Merlin looked at his hands, summoning a bulb of blue light, the one that had always comforted him as a child, whenever he'd been alone in the dark.

"Stop doing that right this instant!" a voice snapped at him.

Startled, Merlin's ball of light evaporated. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." Merlin started, Gaius casting him a stern glance.

"No you didn't mean to get caught, I am sure, nobody _means_ for their head to end up on the chopping block. But that's where yours is going to end up if you don't start using it!"

Merlin looked down at his feet, feeling guilty at having already upset the old man when he was doing everything within his power to help him.

"No magic. Anywhere. Do you understand?" Gaius continued sternly.

Merlin felt his insides clench as he imagined a life without magic. "No, I don't understand," Merlin started, urgent defiance growing by the second, "I was born with magic! Why can't I use it to help people? What is so wrong about being the person I was born to be?" sometime during his speech his voice had risen. When he stopped speaking, the silence was deafening. He'd really done it now, Merlin thought; Gaius would surely kick him out! And he hadn't even been in Camelot a full day yet!

But though Gaius' frown deepened, he also looked at Merlin with pity and a trace of sadness. 

"Whatever you and your powers are destined to achieve, it'll have to wait. When you enter into service for the prince you will need to be extra careful. I fear magic of any kind _will_ be out of the question."

A new burst of adrenaline chilled Merlin to the core, "The prince?!" 

Gaius had been looking to find a nobleman in need of a new servant, but it was something else entirely to enter the royal household.

"The king himself has ordered you to take up position as Arthur's body servant,” Gaius explained.

"Body servant?!" Merlin exclaimed, his jaw dropping. 

Merlin knew 'body servant' was simply a more sophisticated term for bedwarmers. He'd known being asked to fulfil such duties had always been a possibility, when coming to Camelot. The tradition hadn't died out entirely, but it was only the noblest and richest of families, worried about bastard children claiming vast inheritances that bothered with hiring for that particular position.

Though it was known Prince Arthur was to come of age officially during the upcoming Winter Solstice, he'd had no idea the king had been on the lookout for a 'body servant'.

"I'm not a whore,” Merlin said meekly.

"A body servant is not a whore!" Gaius exclaimed, "it is a respectable position, usually reserved for those of noble descendance. It is a great honour bestowed upon you."

Merlin had heard it before, body servants weren't whores and yet... One winter Ealdor had been visited by a nobleman rich enough to travel with his body servant. Merlin had been working in the stables around that time. He'd caught them, the boy on his knees amidst the hay, greedily sucking the man's cock. The nobleman moaning loudly, the wet sounds filling the shed, Merlin's heart had skipped several beats until he'd crouched down, hiding behind a wooden bench, watching intently. The nobleman fisted his servant's hair, creating leverage to trust in harder, faster. 

Every time Merlin thought back to what he saw, he could almost feel the blunt head of a man's cock hitting the back of his throat. He _had_ thought back to it several times afterwards, pleasuring himself to those fantasies of taking a man's cock in mouth, of being the source of those wet, filthy sounds... But he'd never truly imagined what it would be like to be in the body servant's shoes, he couldn't truly imagine those intimate actions becoming a duty. 

Afterwards the nobleman had petted the servant's head, fingers softly running across the man's jaw. It was intimate and it had brought Merlin over the edge at the time, staining his breeches and forcing him to stay hidden a little while longer, facing his mother's angry scowls later that day. But the intimacy was short-lived, merely seconds later the servant was dismissed, the nobleman proceeding with a night a food, wine and laughter, the servant nowhere to be seen. How was that better than being a whore? If anything, it seemed worse!

"I don't think I can do that, Gaius," Merlin said weakly, the queasiness in his stomach growing worse and worse.

"You cannot decline such a position! The king is counting on you! In fact, he has requested to meet you in person tomorrow."

Merlin felt well and truly sick now. Getting close to the king of Camelot was the last thing he should do if he wanted to stay hidden and safe.

"What if I slip up? I'm not always... quite in control of my magic." Merlin hated admitting that, "what if I accidentally use my magic on Arthur, or the king!"

"Merlin!" Gaius started, looking at Merlin with vast disapproval, "I trust you to have at least a modicum of self-control. If not, you better learn some and quick!”

"It's not just because of the magic that I can't do it," Merlin started, feeling smaller and more embarrassed than ever, "I'm not exactly experienced in... you know."

"Oh," Gaius said, looking suddenly sheepish, " I do know." Merlin's eyes widened. "In fact, I believe that is precisely why Uther chose to hire you. The position of body servant was traditionally entered from a state or purity, combined with the promise of exclusivity and loyalty, the bond between master and body servant mimics that of a marriage."

Merlin’s mind reeled. “Why me,” was all he managed to ask, “were there no other… _virgins_ to be found in all of Camelot?” He hadn’t meant to sound so bitter, but that was how it’d come out.

“Uther doesn’t want the position to be used politically.”

Merlin nodded distractedly.

“I vouched for your honour and integrity,” Gaius added, now looking at Merlin with a stern expression, “I trust you will take this chance and be on your best behaviour during your audience with the king tomorrow?”

__

xxx

"Whatever happens behind closed doors, you will not speak about it to anyone,” king Uther said, after several moments of quiet inspection.

Merlin nodded, distracted.

"Answer me properly, boy," Uther snapped.

"Yes, sire," Merlin said quickly, glancing at Gaius who was following the conversation intently, a closed expression on his face.

"Gaius has explained the exclusivity of the bond?" the king asked.

Merlin tried not to scowl at the stern, condescending tone. "He has, sire."

"I hope you realize that no dalliances of any kind will be tolerated. The punishment for disobeying these terms is banishment."

Merlin felt it wise not to let the king know Gaius had let out that little detail and simply nodded.

When Uther's eyebrows rose menacingly, he hastily added "yes, sire," his voice sounding hoarse. How could Gaius forget to warn him about that? Ealdor was pretty much annexed to Camelot these days, and if he wasn't safe in Ealdor either, he had nowhere to go!

"You will commence your services to the Prince the night of his coming of age ceremony, on the eve of Winter Solstice."

Merlin bowed his head in acceptance. 

"Gaius, I trust you to make sure the boy is adequately prepared for his duties?"

"Yes, sire," Gaius replied quick and docile.

"I will not have him insult the prince in any way. If I hear Arthur is dissatisfied with your boy's performance, it will be on your head."

Merlin looked up sharply at that, his throat tightening as realization sank in. "But sire," he began to protest, not able to bear the thought that Gaius would be made to suffer if he messed up.

Uther's eyebrows rose warningly as Merlin swallowed back his defiance, feeling Gaius' warm hand on his shoulder. "It'll be alright, sire, I will make sure Merlin knows what is expected of him.”

The king nodded, holding Gaius' gaze for a long moment before returning to face Merlin, "You will find, boy, that Arthur is known as a just and fair master to all that are in his service. Your loyalty and submission will not be abused as long as you treat your duties with the dedication and delicacy they require."

Gaius and Merlin were dismissed shortly after. They walked back to Gaius' chambers. Merlin's mind was in turmoil, he wanted to lash out, but he knew there wasn't a time or place for it.

Gaius gave Merlin two books. Both of them he had to promise to keep well out of sight. 

The first was a book of magic. Merlin’s face lit up at this gift, causing Gaius to launch into a long, tedious rant on how the book was informative only and he wasn't to go out and actually try any of the spells. But this way he could learn about his powers, where they came from and the possibilities they might offer one day. 

The second book caused an entirely different whirlwind of emotion. It was a book on _‘The art of a body servant’_. Gaius told him he would need it to know how to prepare for his first night with the prince. The book contained a wealth of information on how to pleasure another man's body, about where to touch and how... All of this in great detail, with drawings that made Merlin flush and hastily snap the book shut. Merlin had turned beet-red and quickly muttered his thanks before running off to clear his head.

He was grateful. In a way. Solstice was very close upon them. He was growing more and more nervous by the day. Mostly because he really had no clue as to how to go about his new duties. He would probably end up being his clumsy, flustered self, causing the prince to be displeased, and risking Gaius getting hurt. 

So when Merlin got back to Gaius' rooms, he was relieved to find the man was out on errands. He grabbed the book from where he'd shoved it under the bed and locked himself into his room. With a deep sigh, he opened it and started reading.

Merlin lost all sense of time as he flit from one page to the next. Despite the winter cold having seeped into every stone, nook and cranny, the temperature in the room seemed to quickly rise to unbearable levels.  
His hand shaking, Merlin started stroking himself. Wondering if Arthur’s cock would look anything like the ones in the pictures, whether it would be long or thick… The warm and familiar feeling of pleasure starting building, until faster than Merlin was used to, he climaxed, burying his cock in the blankets to prevent from staining the book.

As he waited for his breathing to even out, he closed his eyes. He felt nothing like he usually did after his release. There was nothing of the relaxed, pleasantly tired sensation that would last him well into a dreamless night. Now, the tingle of nerves he’d been feeling for days had only gotten worse. 

Hand trembling even more than before, he dipped one finger into the mess he’d made on the sheets. He pushed his breeches further down, reaching the hole behind his balls and pushed his finger in experimentally. He lasted mere seconds before he pulled it out again from the hot, tight space. He flung Gaius’ book the ground. Fumbling for the clean half of his blankets, he pulled them over his head, trying futilely to stop his mind from replaying the images over and over again. 

 

__

xxx

Arthur was really was a most attractive man, Merlin decided as he watched the prince, clad in chainmail and Camelot red, spar on the training field. His hair looked positively golden in the sunlight and Merlin didn't have to see him naked to know the mail hid a firm and muscled body. Merlin blushed as he realized he _would_ see Arthur naked soon enough.

Arthur was fierce and passionate as he fought. He could easily understand why this man was a feared opponent in tournaments and battles. Arthur was Camelot's pride, all of Albion would look up to him one day, whispering voices in the druid's circle said, Merlin knew. 

And he would be sharing his bed. Merlin felt a surge of unexpected glee at the prospect. His position would be a unique one, it would be coveted by many a nobleman's son and it had to be better than working day and night in the field, insulted because of his scrawny posture but not getting enough food to change anything about it. 

Arthur was hot. Arthur was going to be _king_. And Merlin would be right at his side. 

A small smile tugged at Merlin’s mouth. It was too good to be true. So of course Arthur chose that particular moment to reveal his utter prattishness.

Merlin felt safe watching the prince from the sidelines. The prince always had a flock of admiring fans, gaping at him in admiration. Merlin blended into the background, just another unfamiliar face. Arthur probably would have never noticed him before Solstice, if Merlin had only been capable to keep his head down. 

The prince's manservant was named George, a funny little man that Merlin had often run into on his errands. He appeared to spend an inordinate amount of time polishing his master’s chainmail and pieces of armour, until they were shiny as silver. 

George was helping out at target practice that day, though he was far from quick on his feet. Arthur did not waste any time making a laughing stock out of the man. The servant was close to stumbling over his own feet as he attempted to be a ‘moving target’, as per Arthur’s command. 

The knives continued to hit their mark, Arthur _was_ talented at this sort of thing. George’s expression shifted from mild irritation to fear, as he struggled to keep using the target as a shield. 

Merlin watched with an openmouthed expression. None of the bystanders commented on the cruelty of their prince’s actions. They laughed as George continued to duck and stumble. 

In a heartbeat Merlin was at George’s side. He watched for flying knives from the corner of his eyes, keeping his magic close, his fingers tingling with it. He pulled the target from George’s hand and spun around to face Arthur defiantly, easily catching the last dagger as it hit home in the center of the board. 

A deafening silence followed.

"I could have hit you!" Arthur yelled, breaking the silence. In moments, he was a mere arm’s length away from Merlin. "You could have been killed! What kind of idiot are you?"

Merlin met the prince’s eyes, ignoring the shock and disbelief, he argued, "He's exhausted," Merlin nodded in the direction of George, panting in the grass, "I'd say you've had your fun and you should leave him be."

Arthur's initial worry and shock at having nearly killed a bystander quickly ebbed away " _You_ 'd say? And who do you think you are?”

“I’m Merlin,” Merlin stated, trying not to look too intimidated as Arthur towered over him.

“So you’re nobody.” Arthur retorted. Merlin watched a nasty grin starting to twist the corners of him mouth. “And you clearly haven’t got a clue who _I_ am,” Arthur continued. A couple of other men, knights probably, that had been training with Arthur moved in closer, surrounding Merlin

“You're a prat who doesn't know when to stop.” Merlin spat back, hating the feeling of being cornered. 

Arthur's codfish expression made the terrible risk Merlin knew he’d taken almost worth it. Until Arthur had grabbed Merlin by arm, twisting it sharply behind his back. Merlin keeled instantly, winded he was now facing the ground. Arthur’s hand held him tight. His touch, the touch he’d fantasized about for days now, burned.

Merlin spent the rest of the afternoon tied to a horrible contraption called ‘the stocks’. As he was attacked with pieces of rotten food, Gaius passed by looking particularly cross. Yes. He was off to a bad start before he’d even begun. 

__

xxx

"Your inability to stay out of trouble is simply astonishing." Gaius commented dryly, looking up from the book he was reading before Merlin had stormed into the room smelling painfully like cabbage and overripe fruits.

"It's not _my_ fault the prince is such a prat."

"Merlin!" Gaius shouted back, "He is your _prince_! You cannot call him that."

"Well it's true," Merlin pouted, pulling another cabbage leaf from his hair. He deemed it a lost cause until he saw a bucket filled to the brim with water. Gaius had probably brought it in with him, when he realized the state Merlin would be in when he’d get back. 

"Stop sounding like an impetuous toddler and do something about that terrible smell. You’re lucky the king didn’t hear about your little spat!"

Merlin looked up sharply from where he was kneeling in front of a bucket of water. “Am I… Are we in trouble?” Merlin asked, belatedly worrying about the damage he could have done to _both_ their positions.

“Not if you keep your head _down_ from now on,” Gaius said, his firm hand moving to push Merlin facedown into the ice cold water.

“Oi!” Merlin sputtered when Gaius let go his head.

The man just laughed, a loud, joyous sound Merlin couldn’t listen to without smiling himself. 

“He’s not a bad man, really Merlin,” Gaius said later, “he just has some more growing up to do.”

Merlin wanted to believe him, _needed_ to believe him for his own sake. For now, he decided not to dwell on it any longer. 

 

__

xxx

Merlin would have been happy to pretend Arthur didn’t exist until Solstice was to arrive. But fate was unkind. Merlin was buying ingredients for Gaius medical remedies, when he spotted Arthur amidst the stalls. As usual, knights and squires surrounded the prince. Merlin turned around instantly, trying to duck behind a fruit stall before Arthur could spot him. Too late.

“Merlin!” Arthur called him as if he were an old friend, “Have you learned to walk on your knees yet?” 

Merlin’s shoulders tensed as he felt Arthur’s eyes on him. He quickened his pace, scanning his environment for the quickest way out. 

“Don’t run away!” Arthur yelled after him. 

Merlin came to an abrupt stop, allowing Arthur to catch up with him. He didn’t turn around. _A coward! That’s what you are! Running away when things get hard._ Arthur inadvertently echoing Will’s words felt like a stab in Merlin’s guts. 

“Don’t tell me you’re scared?” Arthur taunted. 

Merlin finally turned around to face the prince. "I'm not afraid of you," he said, sounding a lot braver than he felt.

Arthur laughed incredulously at that. His expression was open, unguarded. Merlin found it hard to see true malice in it, though the atmosphere was menacing, with Arthur and him mates closing in on Merlin again. 

Merlin knew then that he’d made a mistake. He should have continued to ignore Arthur. The prince would have gotten bored eventually; he would have left Merlin alone if Merlin hadn’t let himself be goaded into responding. 

"You should be," Arthur stated. One of the knights snickered, a tall, bulky guy. 

Merlin's bravado plummeted; images flashed through his mind, making him realize just how true Arthur’s statement really was.

"Yes, I should be." Merlin looked down at his feet, trying hard to stop thinking about all the ways in which Arthur would be able to hurt him come Solstice.

Arthur couldn’t know what was going through Merlin’s head, but he seemed to take Merlin's sudden bitterness in his stride. He waved a hand before the guards could grab Merlin and take him to the stocks, or worse, the dungeons. "There's no need. I'm sure Merlin here has learned his lesson."

"Yes, sire," Merlin said hastily, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground until he was certain Arthur and his men had left.

Solstice was only two nights away and Merlin was already in a lot of trouble.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whether or not he is ready, Winter Solstice arrived and with it Merlin's first night as the prince's body servant.

In the course of one morning, Merlin had managed to drop a jar of precious salve and gotten several of his errand potion deliveries mixed up. He’d run himself ragged correcting each of his mistakes before returning to the workshop disheveled and out of breath. 

Gaius frowned but refrained from scolding him. He knew very well what was causing Merlin to be so distracted in the first place. Finally, Gaius told him to take the afternoon off. Go “let off some steam”, so Gaius could have some peace and quiet in the workshop. 

A few weeks ago, Merlin would have rejoiced at the idea of getting some free time. Now, he was too jittery to enjoy it. He finally decided on the tavern as a hiding place, where he could spend several hours nursing a single pint. The bawdy tales of men that were drunk and loud in the middle of the afternoon did nothing to get his mind off his duties that night.

Upon returning, he found the workshop already deserted. A note was left for Merlin: Gaius was attending to a woman in labour and wouldn’t be back until late. Merlin didn’t know whether to feel relieved or dejected. 

He crumpled the note and wanted to throw it in the low-burning fire when his eyes fell upon a wooden tub, filled to the brim with steaming hot water. He blinked several times, to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. When the tub remained firmly in place, it started dawning on him that it was meant for him.

Did Uther order a maid to put it there? Gaius? Or, Merlin felt nauseous at the mere thought, Arthur, who wouldn’t want a stray peasant to enter his bed without washing properly first.

Merlin quickly decided the hot water looked too tempting, whether or not he felt insulted. He shrugged off his clothes, careless of where he dropped them.

Balancing on his right, Merlin let his left foot sink into the water. He groaned softly. The water was perfect. Hot, nearly scalding, the way he had often imagined a nobleman's bath would be like. He caught a whiff of something sweet and sultry; bath oil. He quickly pulled his right foot over the brim and sank down in the water.

Bliss. Utter bliss. His whole body was engulfed in warmth; better than wool blankets on a winter night, better then the glow of a wood fire. Merlin could definitely get used to this, if getting hot baths were to become a regular perk of his new ‘job’.

He leaned against the wooden edge, closing his eyes and soaking up the delicious smell of herbal oil. He recognized lavender, rosemary, something sweet, possibly honeycomb. 

It wasn’t a masculine scent, but it was warm and comforting. Sprawled out as he was in divine hot water, Merlin wouldn’t think to complain.

When he’d finished rinsing his hair, he realized what those particular bath ingredients were probably for…

Soft! The oil was meant to make his skin soft and pliant. Whoever had ordered the bath to be drawn had clearly been aware of what was expected of Merlin that night. 

Was it for the prince's pleasure or for his own comfort? A shiver ran over his spine, despite the heat. He wasn't a piece of meat to be prepared! His clenched fists hit the water as he suppressed the urge to scream at the water.

He had to prepare, though, he thought bitterly, after he’d calmed back down. It had been easy to be blissfully ignorant about the vial of oil Gaius had given him the night before, or the instructions the book provided.

Sinking deep in the water, Merlin let his legs fall open. His cock responded eagerly when Merlin put his hand to it. Relaxed as his body was in the hot water, pleasure was already simmering under his skin. It was only a matter of tapping into it. The book said it would be easier if he were aroused and relaxed, as he would have been with a partner of his own choosing. Soft from water and bath oil, it had never been easier to push one and then two fingers in and out of himself. Merlin pushed his fingers in as far as he could go, scissoring the rim to let us body adjust to the space and make room for more. His erection didn't diminish in the slightest. 

Merlin fought the temptation to bring himself off with his other hand, it would only take a few good strokes... 

Instead he pulled out his fingers abruptly, getting out of the tub, toweling himself dry roughly so his skin ended up red and blotchy. 

This _job_ , whatever it was, it wasn't about pleasure for _him_. 

 

__

xxx

The ceremony seemed to last forever. Merlin kept in the shadows at the banquet, feeling quite detached from all the joy around him. The servants’ quarters were equally rowdy. For this occasion, the servants were allowed a share of spiced wine instead of the usual watery ale that was served with their meals. For some it was the first time they ever tasted something as rich and deep. Merlin steered away from the drink; he couldn’t let anything addle his brain.

Instead he kept his eyes on Arthur, who was kneeling in front of his father as a heavy gold crown was placed on his head. When Uther finished his speech with the words, “Arthur Pendragon, Crown Prince of Camelot,” all of the throne room erupted in loud cheers.

The sound of the cheering followed Merlin long after he left the throne room behind. He walked to where Gaius had told him Arthur’s personal chambers were. He had to report to George, who would let him wait inside the room for Arthur’s return from his feast. 

George scanned him body to toes, before letting him in. Merlin squirmed under the scrutiny. He felt awkward in his new clothes. They were unusually soft and the breeches were too loose around his waist. 

George finally ushered him inside. Merlin wondered if that meant he’d passed the inspection. 

With every step he was reminded of the strange sensation of being spread and oiled _there_. He just hoped the oil he hadn’t stained the fabric. The new outfit was likely more expensive than every piece of clothing he’d ever owned together.

“You may wait here for the prince.” George said, face still impassive.

Merlin took in the grandeur of the prince’s chambers. A massive fourposter bed with ruby-red curtains and matching sheets and pillows was the centrepiece of the room. As was the beautiful fireplace and the comfortable rug in front of it. There was a screen for the prince to change behind as well as a large wardrobe. It was probably one of George’s many duties to manage it. Merlin suddenly wondered if George would be helping the prince undress before he came to bed with Merlin. He blushed at the thought. Despite Gaius’ instructions and the aid of ‘the book’, there was still much court formalities that Merlin was clueless about. 

“Wait,” Merlin called out when George turned to leave, “When will the prince be back?” Merlin was convinced his nerves wouldn’t be able to stand hours of waiting in this large and unfamiliar place.

“Why do you need to know? Are you going somewhere?” 

Heat pricked at the back of Merlin’s neck at the taunt. When he didn’t respond, George just smiled smugly, “Just what I thought. You will wait here until he comes.” George’s smile widened at the ridiculous pun. “I do hope you won’t ask Prince Arthur those kind of insipid questions. He will have your hide if you dare embarrass him.” 

With that, George left, leaving Merlin feeling more alone than he’d felt since arriving in Camelot. Merlin had had many doubts about his new role, but possible animosity from fellow servants hadn’t even crossed his mind. Had he involuntarily stepped on people’s toes by having been ‘chosen’ to take on the position of the prince’s body servant? 

Merlin did end up waiting for ages for the prince to arrive. Merlin stood stock still for a long time, scared to disturb even the dust on the floor. His legs tired eventually and, permission or not, the rug by the fire looked far too comfortable. He’d been practically dozing off when he heard voices behind the door to the prince’s chambers. In less than a second he was wide awake and on his feet, creeping back into the shadows.

Listening intently to the voices getting closer, he was able to pick up some of the dialogue. 

“… don’t understand why this has to be part of it,” Merlin recognized the voice as belonging to Arthur. His heartbeat quickened.

“Come now, Arthur, a young, healthy lad such as yourself,” it was the King’s voice; the words sounded thick and slow. Like the rest of the palace, the King might have had too much to drink. “You deserve to have a little bit of fun!”

Merlin didn’t catch Arthur’s response but it sounded like a mumbled protest. 

“Besides,” the king continued, “we have to know everything down there is in working order.”

“Father!”

Merlin could hear Arthur’s embarrassment. He would have felt bad for the prince but not when _he_ was Uther’s idea of a ‘little bit of fun’ served on a silver platter. 

Merlin held his breath as he watched the door being opened and the prince entered the room. Arthur closed the door behind him after bidding his father a hastened goodnight. 

The prince walked straight to his dinner table, pouring himself a cup of what looked like wine. His back was turned to Merlin, who noticed the tension bleeding out of Arthur’s posture as he finished his drink and let out a deep sigh.

Gathering his courage, Merlin took a step forward. Arthur whirled around instantly, tension snapping right back into him when he realized he wasn’t alone as he’d clearly assumed. 

"You!" Arthur exclaimed, when his eyes fell on Merlin.

Merlin shakily stepped fully out of the shadows. 

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"I...” Merlin’s voice cracked, “I'm here to serve you, my lord,” he managed to say quickly before Arthur could call his guards. 

"My body servant..." Arthur muttered and added, sounding slightly alarmed, " _You're_ my body servant?!"

Merlin shifted from one foot to another, “Yes?” 

Arthur’s jaw had dropped slightly. A moment later he realized he was staring and quickly averted his gaze, shutting his mouth with an audible click. He turned his back on Merlin, moving to the hearth where he started unbuttoning the clasps on his red coat. “I can’t believe my father hired a peasant, of all people.” The prince muttered under his breath. Merlin felt his face heating up and it had nothing to do with the warmth of the fire. 

Merlin stood fidgeting as Arthur threw the Camelot red coat over a chair, sitting down on another to rid himself of his boots. 

He’d rehearsed this! Merlin thought, getting angry with himself for being taken aback by Arthur’s foul mood. He needed to just get started on the act. He took a step towards Arthur who was working on the laces on his remaining leather boot. “Can I help you with that, sire?” he asked, managing to keep his voice steady this time around. 

Arthur looked up, their eyes locking. Merlin did his best not to look away under the long, hard stare. Finally the prince let out a long, shuddery breath. “You may,” he said, sounding distant. 

Merlin felt it was all the confirmation he would be getting. He quickly knelt down at Arthur’s feet. Trying to make swift swift work of the laces on Arthur’s shoes despite his shaking hands.

Arthur stood up the moment Merlin had pulled off the boot. “How come my father believes you’re trustworthy? You’re new to Camelot, aren’t you?”

Merlin quickly got to his feet, refusing to be intimidated by having Arthur tower over him. “The king trusts Gaius, the court physician.”

“I know who Gaius is,” Arthur said irritably, “You’re related to him, then?”

“No,” Merlin started, and then stopped. It would be hard to explain what exactly he was to Gaius. The prince didn’t press for an answer. 

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, with the two of them still standing well into each other’s personal space, Merlin let his hands hover inches away from the buttons on Arthur’s doublet. “May I?” he asked softly, looking up through his eyelashes. 

Arthur nodded nearly imperceptibly. 

Merlin tried not to take Arthur's apparent disapproval personally. Perhaps there had been someone specific, some young, handsome noble son that Arthur had hoped to find in his chambers tonight. After all, according to Gaius’ book, the bond called for mutual exclusivity. Even if that rule would only ever be enforced upon Merlin.

Merlin quickly found that undressing another man was nothing like undressing himself. He struggled with the weird angle, wincing at every uncalled for touch, trying to be efficient and subtle. 

He dropped the leather belt to the floor, tore off a button from the jacket and by the time he finally managed to get the prince out of his shirt, Arthur’s hair was standing up in little spikes and the prince was frowning at him. Arthur got out of his breeches himself, topping the pile of clothes that was gathering in Merlin’s arms. 

"Hang those up properly, or George will have your head.”

“Right,” Merlin mumbled, managing to not trip over his own feet on his way to the wardrobe. 

Merlin’s breath caught in his throat when he looked back at Arthur. Down to nothing but his braies, the prince looked almost like any other man; as if being stripped of clothing meant shedding his royalty, his rank, his wealth... 

His posture was regal still though, and his expression unreadable. Not for the first time since the prince had entered the room Merlin wished he could read him better. Perhaps then he would have more of a clue as to how to proceed. 

A whore would have been all over the prince, touching, stroking, and petting. The actual undressing would have been only secondary to the playful seduction. Merlin had clearly failed that part, it was high time he at least tried to get it right now. 

He got out of his own, unfamiliar clothes, dropping them to the floor. He then remembered the vial he’d brought along, bending forward to pick it out from his pocket. He haphazardly threw the clothes over a chair, blushing when he felt Arthur’s eyes on him. 

Standing naked in front of the prince, Merlin felt very exposed. Arthur's braies suddenly seemed fully clothed in comparison. Merlin looked at them, unsure of whether to tug them off himself, when he noticed that they were... tented. Heat prickled the back of his neck as he realized that, yes, Arthur had definitely taken some interest in the situation.

Suddenly he felt the prince’s fingertips on his hipbone. They merely brushed against his skin but it felt like a bucket of ice water being poured over his head. A reminder, once again, that Merlin had a job to do. 

There was supposed be touching, there should be ‘a passionate exploration of each other’s bodies’, to quote the book. Not these hesitant touches that Arthur initiated and already left him immobilized.

He avoided looking directly into Arthur’s eyes, fearing he would drown in those vivid blue oceans he didn’t know how to read. He didn’t trust his trembling hands so finally he focused on the expanse of pale skin before him, placing a kiss on the prince’s bare chest. 

Merlin felt Arthur’s hand pull away into a fist. He stopped breathing altogether, his face still only an inch removed from Arthur’s skin. He waited for Arthur to respond, to say something, unsure whether to expect an encouragement or a reprimand. When neither came, he pressed another kiss to Arthur’s chest. He found a scar, right underneath the prince’s collarbone. Without thinking, his lips trailed the marred skin, wondering if it would feel or taste differently. 

Arthur suddenly stepped back at that, making Merlin nearly topple over. He looked up to see a wild expression on Arthur’s face and cowered. What would happen if Arthur kicked him out right then and there? Would he have to leave Camelot? Would Gaius’ position as a physician be in danger? 

For a fearful moment, nothing happened. When it didn’t seem like Arthur really was going to kick him out, Merlin sighed. Whatever the book said, he clearly wasn’t meant to be in control of this. He could no longer pretend that he was. Whatever Arthur wanted he would have to take it. Merlin could offer it, but that was all he could do. Seduction was a dangerous, complicated game, one that Merlin clearly _didn't_ know how to play. 

He held up his hand, the one with the vial Gaius gave him. If Arthur could just take it and use it. Merlin would let him, would follow his lead. He waited, shivering slightly as his naked frame did nothing to stop the winter chill from seeping into his bones. 

Arthur stepped closer but made no move to accept it. When Merlin looked up, Arthur’s expression was pensive, torn. The prince was trembling slightly, probably from the cold as well. 

Deciding the wait was doing neither of them any good; he pushed the vial into Arthur's hands. Arthur startled and looked at it, turning it in his hand as if it were something he’d never seen before.

Merlin then realized that he might really be Arthur's first. He'd been expecting to find Arthur already experienced in these matters. If he wasn't, if traditional customs were truly respected, Merlin, as body-servant, was to be Arthur's first and only until the day he got married.

Maybe his task wasn’t as impossible as it had seemed moments before. Filled with new confidence, Merlin leaned forward to catch Arthur's mouth with his own.

Merlin had had very few kisses he could compare this one to. None of them had been anything like this. Not the awkward kisses he had shared with Freya before she had disappeared. Definitely not the kiss he’d stolen from Will, causing his friend to look at him in disgust for days.

This was a chaste kiss at first. Initially, Arthur froze and Merlin fully expected him to pull back again. But then he relaxed, letting Merlin lick his mouth open. Soon they were kissing in earnest, Arthur’s lips soft and pliant, a hint of stubble catching against Merlin’s own. Lips were sensitive, Merlin found, and mouths were hot and wet. He could taste the bittersweet flavour of the mulled wine the prince had drunk before. 

It was wonderfully easy to get lost in the myriad of good sensations. 

Only when he felt Arthur’s cloth-covered erection brush against his thigh, causing his own cock to twitch in response, Merlin broke the kiss. “Let’s continue this on the bed, shall we?”

Merlin pressed a last kiss to Arthur's open mouth as the prince watched him with a dazed expression. He took the vial from Arthur's hand, his free hand pulling the prince towards the four-poster bed. 

He should be feeling like a fairytale princess, losing his virginity in a setting like that. But sinking into the mattress with Arthur beside him felt overwhelming.

Maybe Arthur picked up on that insecurity when he pulled Merlin into another kiss, pulling him impossibly close with a hand wrapped around the curve of his neck. From the calloused, strong hands to the broad and muscular chest - every aspect of the prince’s physique reminded Merlin of the fact that this was a trained warrior. 

Merlin accepted Arthur’s greedy kisses as a welcome distraction. Mouth open, he breathed in Arthur’s scent. It was spicy, like expensive wine. He recognized the smell of soap, of clothes that were regularly cleaned and replaced. Merlin spared a moment to be grateful at the king or Gaius or whoever it was, that had provided him with a set of new clothes as well. 

Merlin felt Arthur’s fingers tangle in the short, messy hair in his neck. Instinctively he returned the gesture, wrapping his own fingers in Arthur’s blonde hair. He found it really was as ridiculously soft as he’d imagined it to be. The corners of his mouth twitched upward into a smile at that. 

Merlin’s hand travelled along Arthur’s spine, to his firm, muscled belly, to find the worn fabric of his braies, the last remaining piece of clothing. Merlin’s hand shook only slightly as his fingers wrapped around the drawstrings. When he tugged, the knots loosened easily. Arthur licked fiercely into his mouth, the prince’s grip on his neck tightening even further. Merlin ignored the feeling of lightheadedness, focussing instead on taking out the prince’s cock.

Touching another man did not in any way compare to pleasuring himself. The angle was wrong. Merlin awkwardly tried to stroke the hardening flesh but he couldn’t stop wondering about how strong a grip Arthur preferred or whether he liked his balls played with… Instead of focusing on the job literally at hand, his strokes were hesitant and slow. 

Arthur still moaned into their kiss, prompting Merlin to pull away altogether, desperate for air and the need to think this through. 

“Don’t stop.” Arthur said, not much louder than a whisper, and then closed the gap between their mouths again in order to suck on Merlin’s bottom lip.

Merlin had been desperate for encouragement before, now that he had it, he needed to take it. 

Ignoring his previous feelings of doubt, he returned his hand to continue its glide up and down the length of Arthur’s manhood. The angle didn’t get less awkward, but soon he was no longer able to deny his own matching arousal. Arthur’s cock was warm and full, very responsive to Merlin’s touch. Each little sound Arthur made was a victory and the feeling of power was making Merlin feel almost giddy. For a moment he imagined continuing to do only this until they were _both_ pleasantly sated. He surprised himself imagining it being even enjoyable.

But when his thumb brushed over the tip of Arthur’s cock and the prince bucked in response, needy and fully hard, he knew there was a different game to play. The vial was still a heavy weight in his other hand. He could no longer ignore it was there to be used. 

When Merlin pulled out of their embrace, Arthur looked almost hurt. Merlin gave in to the urge to pet the prince’s cheek.

"I have prepared for you, my lord,” he whispered against Arthur’s lips.

Arthur looked at him strangely. Merlin wondered if he'd done something wrong, like addressed Arthur using the wrong title.

Finally Merlin sat back, holding up the vial. "Would you..." he started. "Or should I..."

Arthur’s eyes were glassy and unfocussed as they went from Merlin’s face to the vial and then back again. A slight tremor shook the prince’s frame. It was still midwinter and they were both very naked.

Making a decision for the both of them, Merlin twisted the cap of the vial, the cork coming off with a pop. Within an instant, the oily, greasy substance was trickling over his fingers. Not wanting to spill any on Arthur’s royal bedding, Merlin was forced to be pragmatic about it. He reached for Arthur’s cock with the lubricant covered hand, moving his slick palm up and down the shaft, the way he’d been doing earlier.

Though the oil was lukewarm from Merlin’s hand having been clenched around the vial for so long, Arthur still hissed in shock. The sound quickly morphed into another moan as Merlin continued his movements, adding a little additional oil in the process. He hoped he was doing it right, that this really would help in making the next step easier.

Deciding he’d done what he could in, he swiped his fingers clean on his hole, allowing his fingers to dip inside, teasing the rim for a moment.

There was no mistaking the lust in Arthur’s heavy-lidded eyes. Merlin couldn’t stop from blood rushing to his face again, as it did every time he felt Arthur looking at his cock.

“How will you have me?” Merlin asked, wincing at how hoarse his voice sounded. Images from 'the book' flashed through his head, legs and arses held up high. He tried to ignore the sudden interest of his prick in the situation. Getting aroused now was wrong, when this was going to be humiliating and likely going to hurt.

Eyes travelled along Merlin’s body, all the way from his feet to his face, Arthur’s expression both greedy and shy. Merlin thought about whores and the bawdy tales he’d heard about them, about fucking himself on Arthur’s rigid cock, about begging the prince the take him, his legs spread wide. He didn’t think he could do that. He wouldn’t pretend to be whore even if that's what he was, more or less. Though Arthur’s own apparent inexperience might have been endearing to him earlier, now he just wanted to get it over with.

Face down would be best, Merlin decided, since Arthur made no move or gave no directions. He laid himself down on the fluffy pillows adorning the princely bed, forcing himself to spread his legs in what he hoped was invitation enough. A long moment passed, seconds in which Merlin became acutely aware of his warring emotions. The shame, the fear even, and his flagged erection, pressed against the soft cotton sheets.

It was a shock to his system when Arthur’s hands came to rest on his buttocks. The prince barely touched him, but Merlin tensed as if the caress had been the crack of a whip.

“I think you need to be a little less… on edge,” Arthur said softly, his hand still a ghostly caress on Merlin’s skin.

After a moment, Merlin forced himself to breathe. Arthur was right; he really did need to loosen up. It would only hurt more if he didn’t.

He just hadn’t expected the prince to care.

A thread of tension began to unravel on the tail end of that realization. “Right,” Merlin whispered, easing into the mattress further, feeling his muscles unclench.

Though Merlin was focussing on being relaxed, with Arthur’s touch still soft and warm on his skin, it was impossible not to be aware of the tension in the room.

“Have you ever…” the prince asked.

“No. I have never.” Merlin snapped. He swallowed the ‘and according to your father, that was kind of the point’. Bringing the King into this would do neither of them any good. 

“Neither have I.” 

Merlin had assumed as much, but hearing Arthur’s confession filled him with warmth.   
There was a chapter in the book about the mutual trust in the bond of master and body-servant. Merlin had skipped reading that one entirely. Considering the nature of his duties, he didn’t expect to ever be able to trust the prince. Now that didn’t seem as impossible. 

His insecurities returned with a vengeance when he felt Arthur’s fingers against the rim of his arse. The touch was hesitant, exploring. Merlin knew nobody was particularly beautiful down there, and his body went taut with discomfort again. 

When Arthur seemingly reluctantly pushed inside one finger, Merlin jerked away. “You don’t have to… I told you, I prepared.”

“Right.” Arthur said, his voice a little breathless. 

He shouldn’t have pulled away from Arthur. He got scared. But he couldn’t give in to his instinct to run away from this. If Arthur wanted to finger him, explore his body in any way, Merlin should have encouraged him. Now he only wished they could go back to the soft touches and the whispers. Instead a sudden weight was pressing down on him, trapping him. 

Merlin pushed his face into the pillow, trying to relax his muscles and forcing his mind to turn away from the feeling of Arthur’s cock pushing inside.

It was nothing like having his own fingers inside, he had no control over the angle the depth the girth of the penetration. Arthur’s hands were sweaty on his hips. He was being stretched impossibly wide. Every inch felt like too much, too close to being unbearable.

He felt Arthur move inside of him, as his body gave way to the intrusion. He grit his teeth against the severe discomfort. Do not show weakness. He could handle this.

Whether he became used to the pain, or whether his body began to adapt, Merlin found that when he didn’t try so hard to withdraw himself mentally from the scene, it wasn’t really painful as much as it was intimidating. When he focused instead on the wet slide of Arthur inside of him, he was able to familiarize himself with the rhythm of the thrusts. That way he could even relax into them, listening to the prince’s matching moans and sounds of pleasure, allowing himself to get used to the sensations

Merlin hadn’t noticed Arthur’s hand travelling lower, all of his senses already being over-stimulated. But the moment he felt a hand wrapped around his own erection, a wave of pleasure hit his body; travelling from his cock all the way down to his toes. He let out a strangled moan, jerking away from the touch that was a shock to his system.

He hadn’t even been aware that his cock had swollen again. Somehow the feeling of Arthur inside of him had been transformed from pain into arousal. Now all he could think about was Arthur palming his cock while pushing inside at the same speed.

But Arthur had pulled away his hand as if he’d been stung. A long moment nothing happened, Arthur wasn’t moving. The slide of Arthur's cock inside had been painful earlier but in that moment the stillness seemed an even worse sort of torture. 

Merlin shifted slightly, clenching around the presence of Arthur in his body through the movement. The prince moaned and resumed his thrusts but he didn’t make a second attempt to touch Merlin. 

Having slightly shifted, Merlin’s erection now rubbed against the sheets in a way that was more than a little pleasurable. Even if it wasn’t as shockingly good as the prince’s hand had been. 

Unconsciously, he had even begun to make small sounds of pleasure, matching the prince’s. He wondered if Arthur was even aware of the weird cadence they had created of flesh hitting flesh, moans and panting breaths. 

The pace seemed to grow increasingly desperate. Arthur was muttering unintelligible things under his breath. He came inside of Merlin with a something between a cry and a sob. 

It shook Merlin to the core. 

The next moment Arthur’s hands were all over Merlin’s body, touching and stroking Merlin anywhere he could reach; his arms, torso even ghosting over the jutting bones of his ribs. Still painfully aroused and his body ridiculously sensitive, the touches felt more intimate than any of the kissing and fucking they had done up to that point. But just as quickly as it had started, Arthur’s hands fell away and Merlin had to smother a cry into the pillow when the prince pulled out suddenly, leaving Merlin to feel raw and exposed. `

The pain from earlier that had been subdued by other sensations came back with a vengeance; any residual arousal he might have felt at their coupling was gone in an instant. 

Arthur had collapsed on the bed beside him, one arm still loosely draped over Merlin’s back. When Merlin finally found the energy to turn his head to look at him, Arthur’s eyes were closed and his breathing was slowly but steadily returning to a normal pace. 

Minutes passed and Merlin couldn’t take his eyes off of him: the look on his face peaceful and content as he was clearly half-asleep. The hair in his neck was wet and sticky, his muscled body relaxed and spread out across the bed. He looked young and vulnerable like this. Beautiful, a voice in Merlin’s head whispered. 

He barely managed to stop himself from running his fingers through Arthur’s hair, fighting an urge to curl up beside him on those comfortable pillows. 

He could not have this version of the prince. He had already overstayed his welcome.

__

xxx

Getting up from the bed, Merlin felt sore and awkward. He fumbled for his clothes, hastily putting them on to stop feeling exposed. Even though the wool used in his new clothes was probably more valuable than anything he had previously owned, he still shivered.

He tried to ignore the myriad of uncomfortable sensations as he slowly moved towards the door.  
opening it and leaving the prince’s chambers without glancing back at the sleeping figure on the bed. As he quietly closed the door he took a moment to let out a deep sigh. 

He felt rather than saw George standing behind him, but still nearly jumped out of his skin when the man’s loud voice rang out; “What are you doing sneaking off so soon?” 

"What? I..." Merlin quickly turned around to meet George’s stern gaze, unable to formulate a response.

"I told you not to mess this up! The king should never have…"

"I didn't mess up," Merlin interjected, suddenly starting to feel angry.

"So the prince is satisfied then?"

Merlin stopped and swallowed. He thought back to Arthur's moans, the way he'd breathed heavily into the pillow afterwards, his body stretched out and relaxed... "He is," he said slowly.

George nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait," Merlin sprang forward, "What is your position in all of this," he asked, "are you reporting back to the King?"

George glanced back over his shoulder. "That is none of your concern." He left Merlin behind in quick, long strides.

Suddenly feeling utterly drained, Merlin started to drag himself back towards Gaius' chambers.

 

He fell face forward onto his bed. He stayed still for a long time until Gaius crept into the room and sat down gently on the bed at Merlin’s feet. 

“I brought a salve to ease the discomfort,” he said softly.

Merlin got up reluctantly, avoiding the man’s eyes; he accepted the small jar of salve and put it under his pillow for later.

“Did it hurt?” Gaius asked.

Merlin felt like answering, ‘Yes’ or ‘Not as much as I feared it would’ - which was closer to the truth. He settled on simply saying, “I’m fine.”

“I understand if you don’t want to discuss this with me…” He hesitated, “I know you’re expected to stay strong, even when times are hard, to fulfill your duties at all costs.”

“That’s what it says in the book,” Merlin sighed.

“But you don’t have to be strong all the time, Merlin. You can let go!”

Merlin still refused to meet Gaius’ eyes, biting his lip. Finally Gaius seemed to understand that he couldn’t do this in front of him and left. As soon as he’d closed the door behind him, Merlin buried his face into the pillow, wetting it with silent tears He wasn’t able to really understand whether he was crying from pain, relief or frustration. 

After that, it didn’t take long for his exhausted body to succumb to sleep.

In the morning he was happy have Gaius’ salve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the comments & for coming along this story journey!   
> This was a long chapter - the next chapter will be shorter but 'brand new'.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin wakes up to his new life and realizes it will be even more difficult than he could've imagined. Can a voice from deep within the citadel offer comfort or advice?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the serious delay. I still very much intend to see this story through. I think it would be easier for me to update more regularly but with slightly shorter chapters. I'll do my best!  
> Hope you enjoy this story! Kudos & comments are very much appreciated <3

"I cannot believe a mere peasant was chosen to serve the prince.”

“He looks like he should be sleeping in the barn. He has no place in a royal bed.”

Merlin kept his eyes fixed on the ground as he quickened his pace, hurrying to get away from the market square and the gossiping noblemen.

He had woken up feeling restless. Eager to take his mind off the lingering memories of the night before, he'd begged Gaius to let him run his usual errands but it had ended up being a harsh confrontation with the way his position at court had been altered for good.

At first he’d thought he was imagining the stares. He hadn't been publicly announced as Arthur's body servant. He wasn’t wearing his new clothes, he looked the way he had before. Though he felt sore and uncomfortable from the night before, there was no way anyone could see it.

But the stares had morphed into angry whispers and finally open hostility. Perhaps these noblemen had hoped for a royal position for their sons. Perhaps he really didn’t meet their expectations.

When he was finally finished with Gaius’ deliveries, Merlin was eager to return to the workshop. Making his way through the castle, he felt dread every time he passed someone in the corridors. He feared it would be George, with reprimands or summons from the prince or worse, the king. He feared it would be Arthur… He wouldn’t know how to act around the prince. The book was very detailed on the many restrictions that were imposed on a body servant - Merlin wasn’t allowed to leave the city unless accompanying Arthur, he couldn’t have intimate relations with anyone and if Merlin had been a knight, he would have been forbidden to partake in tournaments or duels. But as to what he was supposed to be doing when he wasn’t in Arthur’s bed, the book didn’t offer any answers.

As his luck would have it, Arthur was exactly who he ran into. He was accompanied by the Lady Morgana, whom Merlin had only briefly glimpsed before. It was too late for Merlin to turn back and go another way so he lowered his head and tried to go past them incongruously.

Arthur stopped walking abruptly when the duo were only a few feet away. Merlin looked up at the prince through his eyelashes and saw Arthur was staring at him.

Merlin’s heartbeat sped up uncomfortable. Would Arthur be angry? Was he doing something he was not supposed to do? Was it because he wore his ‘peasant’ clothes?

It was Morgana who broke the silence, “Arthur?” she asked, following the prince’s gaze.

As a servant he could've been invisible to the eyes of the King's ward. But noticing Arthur's red face, she looked at Merlin inquisitively. "Who are you?"

"I'm Merlin, my lady," Merlin said quickly. Belatedly he tried to add a small bow of deference.

“You're _Merlin_ , Arthur’s new servant?!” Morgana exclaimed. Merlin had her full attention now as she continued excitedly, “Oh, I’m so glad to meet you. Arthur refused to tell me anything about you other than you insulted him the other day. So of course I’m inclined to like you already.”

Merlin smiled briefly, eyes darting to Arthur who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. At least he did not look enraged.

“So tell me, Merlin, where are you from?”

“Ealdor,” Merlin replied, realizing as he said it, this had to be new information to Arthur as well.

“You’re quite a long way from home. You must’ve come highly recommended.”

Merlin doubted there was anything about his sexual prowess in his mother's letter to Gaius. "I wouldn't know, my lady.”

Merlin broke the long uncomfortable silence that followed, “I should really get going. Good day my lady, my lord.” He nodded hastily to both of them and walked away.

“You didn’t talk to him? You don’t know why he became your bedwarmer?” 

Merlin heard the lady Morgana’s loud whisper. He froze to the spot a few feet away, feeling a sense of dread.

“Arthur,” Morgana continued, “he’s a _boy_ from a poor county _outside_ of Camelot! He’s skin and bones - what if he had no choice? What if he was forced? It would be very much like your father to bypass anyone actually _willing_ to sleep with you.”

Merlin looked around, the urge to see Arthur’s reaction to this stronger than his discomfort at hearing himself be discussed like that. At that same moment Arthur had turned to look back over his shoulder. Their eyes met for a second and Merlin quickly looked away hurrying away down the corridor before Arthur could accuse him of eavesdropping.

“Morgana, please stop talking about this.” Arthur loud voice was the last thing Merlin was able to hear.

xxx

The servants’ quarters didn’t offer any reprieve. It was also another confrontation with his painful new reality. There were no cutting remarks. He wasn’t treated with contempt but there was a new formality to his interactions with the other servants. He had shared jovial laughter with several of them before, now there was only distant politeness.

A kitchenmaid, who only a few days before had joked with him and rewarded him with an apple, now avoided his gaze. She looked grim as she slowly stirred a ladle in a pot of soup. With a pang Merlin realized she was disappointed. Merlin felt even worse realizing he had been oblivious to her kindness before.

That is how, on that beautiful winter's day in bustling Camelot, Merlin never felt more alone in his life.

Of course, that is when he started hearing the voice.

”Merlin. _Mer_ lin!”

Merlin knew he wasn’t imagining the voice. It seemed to be coming from someplace far underneath the castle. His instinct was to ignore it since their was clearly magic at play. Responding to this would likely get him into _deep_ trouble, but part of him felt excited; he’d heard the stories - the ones about the last dragon being kept prisoner in the caves that Camelot Castle was built upon. A _real_ dragon. And a very persistent one. _“Merlin!”_ It sounded like shouting.

Merlin knew it was a bad idea to use his magic in order to break into the dungeons. Rationally he knew nothing good could come of it. But he was certain the source of that hypnotic (impatient!) voice was _right there_. He used a torch to find his way in the darkness deep below the castle, keeping his magic ready at his fingertips in case the voice, the _dragon_ \- Merlin was sure of it - turned out to be a foe. 

Wat he hadn’t expected was to have an actual conversation with the creature. Merlin guessed the cryptic riddles in which the dragon spoke weren’t civil conversation anyhow. 

_“So small for such a great destiny.”_

A destiny to protect Arthur, the dragon informed him. He was born of magic because of a destiny to help the prince of Camelot become a legendary king. 

“No,” Merlin had protested, “He’s a bully! And I’m nothing to him - a whore,” he added bitterly. 

_“None of us can escape our destiny.”_

As far as answers went, this one wasn’t very good, Merlin pondered as he retraced his steps back to the tower. But at least it the dragon believed there _was_ a purpose for his magic. And a place for him in Camelot, at prince Arthur’s side. 

He was almost smiling by the time he arrived back at Gaius’ chambers. 

Any hint of a smile evaporated the moment he noticed George waiting for him in front of the workshop.

“Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you!” George snarled angrily, “The Prince has asked for you,” the words hit Merlin like a bucketful of ice water.

“I’m sorry. I got distracted.” Merlin stammered. “I’ll go change and prepare straight away.” As he tried to hurry inside, George grabbed him by his shirt and pulled in the opposite direction.

“There’s no time for that now.”

“But…” Protests were useless against a determined George who manhandled him through the castle like some petulant child.

Merlin was relieved he wasn’t seen by anybody except for the guards patrolling the corridor to Arthur’s chambers. 

“Enter”, Merlin heard Arthur’s voice responding George’s knock on the door.

George opened the door and glowered at Merlin. “You go in now,” he said, shoving Merlin inside. When he looked back, Merlin only glimpsed George’s disapproving scowl before the door was swung shut. 

Merlin took a moment to catch his breath before turning around up. Arthur was sitting at his wooden writing table. Quill in hand, bent over a piece of parchment, his features hidden by the long shadows from the candles that lit the room. Merlin thought he looked more like a king than ever. 

Merlin took a step closer. “My lord…” Merlin started, unsure how to continue. Arthur’s expression was unreadable as he looked up at Merlin. Finally Merlin added, “What can I do for you.”

“I need to finish up writing this report,” Arthur said slowly. “You can wait on the bed,” he said after a long pause, eyes darting to the bed as he said it. It might have been a flicker of the candle but Merlin thought he recognized a blush on Arthur’s cheeks. 

As Arthur’s attention was redirected at the papers in front of him, Merlin did as he was told and walked towards the bed. He instantly regretted not having been able to change into his ‘body servant’ clothes. The sheets of the prince’s bed were a pristine white and Merlin’s clothes were dusty and frayed. But Arthur had said to wait on the bed so there was no alternative. He slowly got out of his boots, trying to be quiet and not draw attention to himself. He was still ill-adapted at undressing seductively, he wasn’t going to put up a show. This was about efficiency and courtesy, Merlin decided, as he tried to ignore the growing discomfort as he shed the last layers of clothing. Body servants had to be proud of their bodies, the book said. Though how many of them had been as pale and gangly as he was, Merlin didn’t care to think about, as he used the soft sheets to cover himself.

If the prince had noticed Merlin’s inner turmoil or his progressing state of nudity, he didn’t show. He remained at his desk, staring at the papers in front of him until the candles were burning low. 

Finally Arthur got up from his desk abruptly. “Thank you for coming,” he said after scraping his voice. 

Merlin imagined Arthur addressed diplomatic relations the same way. He shifted uncomfortably and didn’t reply.

Arthur looked at him warily as he approached the bed slowly and Merlin felt a pang of frustration, shouldn’t the ice between them have broken already? With a trembling hand he pulled away the sheet to reveal himself. He was ready to play his part, he _had_ to be. 

It felt like a small victory to watch Arthur’s face flush with colour as his eyes were drawn to Merlin’s body. Merlin leaned forward to reach out and draw Arthur closer but the prince held up his hands “Stop.”

Merlin fell back instantly. Arthur’s sharp voice had felt like a slap in the face. 

“It’s about Morgana,” Arthur started solemnly as his eyes locked with Merlin’s, “Lady Morgana… What she was saying about you earlier…” Arthur had lost his characteristic eloquence as he continued stammeringly, “If you don’t want this… I don’t want you to think that I’m a… I’m not a…”

A rapist? An enslaver? A Merlin swallowed as he imagined how Arthur meant to end that sentence. “I wasn’t forced.” Merlin said firmly. He didn’t want to think of Arthur as a villain just as he refused to believe himself to be a victim. “It really is an honour to serve you, my lord.”

This time Arthur let himself be seduced more easily, leaning into Merlin’s touches and letting Merlin’s lips drown out any lingering doubts he might have been inclined to voice. 

Merlin didn’t want to discuss whether or not he’d _really_ had had a choice in the matter. If the Dragon was to be believed, Arthur was his destiny either way.


End file.
